G. David Felt

As big as VW is becoming and wanting to become, who would not be a rival? Plus I could be wrong here, but I thought pretty much all car companies had moved to universal platforms to be sold around the world so I just do not see this as that big of a deal. If anything, it would seem to say, VW has finally joined the party that everyone else already knew about.

Ugh, day two of they are working on an offer but nothing so far, but hey remember you need to get that work done by wednesday. So I figure either I get an offer or I am out, not sure but tomorrow should be interesting for me. Sorry to hear you have not found anything yet. I know Seattle is booming if your up for relocating as I am looking at plenty of places to apply if I find myself jobless. Goodluck on the search

Mechanic

I believe a compact CUV for Chevy with FWD/AWD options would be the ticket for many young College graduates starting their career and wanting a solid ride to get up the mountain to play. This would rock for Chevy!

LOL you crack me up, not having to compensate for anything, but the history of life with V6 engines and their so called fuel efficiency is a joke in this country. So far America seems to still make a v8 that lasts compared to v6 or 4 bangers. If your going to get this type of car, then get the real deal I think. This way you know you can easily get 200 to 300K miles out of the engine. The V6 I would only count on for 150K to 200K at best. Plus when you do hit high mileage, a tired v8 can still move an auto nicely compared to a tired v6. That is the most asinine argument I've ever heard. I'm going to have to agree here. The 3.5L I had in my Challenger seemed to be a very stout engine and I know some LH owners have gotten excellent life out of it. Hell, you can milk 300,000 miles out of any engine just so long as you change the oil, coolant, and spark plugs and occasionally do a tune up. The only criticism I had with the 3.5L was the fact it required mid-grade gasoline for the best fuel consumption and what is an average amount of power these days. I believe the new 3.6L addresses that issue. It really is how you drive something, not what you drive. I know we all have our preferences, but at this point the only thing that would stop me from making the Redline model my next Challenger is the lack of a manual transmission. Again, I'd almost bet money the Redline would at least keep up with an R/T on the right roads and tracks, especially in the hands of a driver who knows what he's doing. You have hit on the one main item I forgot to mention, a v6 or 4 banger will still move a vehicle with spirit if it has a manual tranny so that you can play with the power band. Yet I stand by my experiance of older trucks and cars that have these engines with auto tranny's and having the maintenance done on them, they still run, usually do not seem to use any fluids out of the norm for high milage and yet the ability to move the car is lacking and the gas milage sucks. The only v6 vehicle I still have is a 98 Dodge Dakota with the v6 and a 5 speed manual with 312,000 miles on it. It sucks for gas milage, never got what Dodge said it would get, best being 17 miles per gallon and is a well known fact that the v8 was more fuel efficient than the v6 that was rated higher MPG. Yet with a manual Tranny, it still moves and can haul a decent load. Being I am the orignal owner from when I bought it with only 8 miles on it, I have kept it in clean condition, both my kids learned to drive a stick on this baby and it continues to serve the family well. Our 99 Dodge Dakota with the 5.9L v8 is just about to hit 300K miles and while it gets only 12 MPG on the most recent tank, as a 4x4 it still moves and will last a long time since I stick to the service schedule. My daughter loves driving it. Over all a 4 banger or V6 with Manual Tranny can have a long life, yet I have found that the more luxury items those vehicles get along with an auto tranny, the more sluggish they tend to become. I am happy many of you have had good experiances with the smaller engines, but having grown up with a father and a repair shop that can make v8 sing, I have always found American V8's to outlast and out power smaller engines and will stay with them as long as I can afford to fuel them.

That image just screams wanna be BMW. No orignal style, just nock off BMW. Will be interesting to see the real thing and decide if it still is a nock off or not.

What a joke, again Acura bringing very little other than smoke and mirrors to the car game.

I thought it was neat also, but the mechanics of the tranny caught me up more. I wonder if the interior is the same color for all exterior colors and settings.

I will still wait and see, so far I have yet to see any big benefit from the v6 engines for long life and maintaining power/torque. History has shown the vendors shouting the high MPG of these cars and yet in real world driving they rarely perfome those numbers. This is not about getting off on a V8, but the history shows that cars being the worst investment one can make, then it makes sense to go with an engine that will last a good long time. I tend to hold onto my vehicles for at least 10 years. Both myself and family members who bought the v6 engines have never gotten out of it what they were told they would get. The V8's always outperformned the V6 engines in durability IMO. Good luck to any who has bought these engines, the auto companies have allot to prove to us that the V6's really are the bullit proof enginerred.

Sweet, always nice to have more performance as an option.

LOL you crack me up, not having to compensate for anything, but the history of life with V6 engines and their so called fuel efficiency is a joke in this country. So far America seems to still make a v8 that lasts compared to v6 or 4 bangers. If your going to get this type of car, then get the real deal I think. This way you know you can easily get 200 to 300K miles out of the engine. The V6 I would only count on for 150K to 200K at best. Plus when you do hit high mileage, a tired v8 can still move an auto nicely compared to a tired v6.

Noticed another 2012 Jeep Patriot white today on the way into work. Funny how once your son buys one you tend to notice the auto more in your surroundings.

Scooby Doo

Great review, nice write up folks. Question, is it possible that the tranny in the 1.8L was trashed by earlier drivers? Cars tend to learn their shift points based on how it was driven, maybe someone was a smash the pedal driver and smash the brakes rather than a smooth driver. Did it seem to smooth out at all over the week you had it? Usually tranny's seem to adapt, but then if it has been trashed, then it might already need some attention. Would be worthwhile to go to a dealership and drive one off the lot to compare the 1,8L with auto with no real driving done to the loaner and see the difference. Course I would have thought they would have done a check to make sure the vehicle is perfect before loaning it out again to another reporter.

I understand wanting a halo car for their product line up, yet Lexus would be better off spending the money on higher quality in their current cars and getting a much better look. From my experience with family who has owned them, they look nice at first and then fall apart fast. Give a Lexus 2 years and trade it in and all is fine if you are willing to always spend money. Go past 2 years and things seem to fall apart fast.

Pics are nice, it is a very nice looker package, but if your going to buy this car, why not get the V8 for the real deal rather than the Poser package.

Thanks Olds, that is good to know that it is AWD/RWD. Hopefully Caddilac will realize that if they decide to compete in the small Luxury CUV market.

I have to say they sound pretty nice. If the picture is what the X1 CUV is to look like, not bad then. Glad to see this will be AWD, but from what I found on the web, it does not clearly state if this will be FWD if AWD is not selected. Any way, I hope Caddilac gets a stylish small AWD CUV. I think there is a solid market for this type of vehicle.

Hey Do not squish my dreams, I will have a Syclone some day. Inspired from the history books.

Would be a fun project, I always liked these 2 door YUKONS, just need money and time. Good luck to who ever ends up getting it.

I will say this, the CVT are an interesting ride when you never hear the shift, it does make some wonder as I have had people comment on it when they drive a CVT for the first time. No shift points needed.

It would be only too funny to call them out in a proper layed out advertising. Acura proclaims this, Lexus claims this, Infiinity claims this. We just want to thank you for recognizing our leading technology since 1988. GM, the proud owner of Cadillac, Buick, GMC and Cheverolet. Building cutting edge technology to safely transport your most important cargo, your loved ones. Stop by a dealer today to explore your options on a Cutting edge automobile to meet your family needs.

This would definitly put pressure on the other luxury makers to bring in diesels especially if they have a nice high MPG. Just think of the SRX with the 2.8l Duramax in it. That would be a kiler ride.

My feeling on Acura, now there is an old persons car line.

I have been out many times and realized I had forgotten to take my polarized filter for my lens and have resorted to using my polarized sun glasses to caputure images. Over all not perfect, but for most people's eye, it is darn good looking.